The U.S. military says it shot down a missile off the coast of Hawaii in a test of a missile-defense system designed to protect NATO forces in Europe from attack.

Defense contractor Raytheon Co. said the test's success keeps the Aegis Ashore program on track for deployment in Romania by the year's end. It says it is expected to operate in Poland in 2018.

The Missile Defense Agency said December 10 that an Air Force C-17 aircraft launched a medium-range target over the ocean southwest of Hawaii December 9.

The Aegis Weapon System at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai launched an interceptor missile after radar detected the target. The SM-3 interceptor moved into the target's path and destroyed it.